


Looking For Signs in the Snow

by CSmarton63



Series: Stories of Me and You From That Front Porch View [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: A different take on some of the NPCS, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Characters from OC's world as well, Established Relationship, F/M, Frame narrative but minimal spoilers, I promise, I sometimes write long chapters, I swear it's not all dark, Multiple relationships developing in story, OC has HX of abuse and assault, Part 2 in Series, Relationship Struggles, SDV with a slight Gossip Girl feel to it, Secret Identity, Series was inspired by song Don't Take The Money and other songs, She's an heiress sort of, Slow Burn, Suspenseful at times, Vaginal Sex, lots of cute and funny moments, multiple POVs, other types of sex, personal liberties taken, some ptsd, some violence mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:40:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29774229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CSmarton63/pseuds/CSmarton63
Summary: After a month of reconnecting and learning to trust each other, Sebastian and Daisy can finally move forward with their relationship. Sebastian has a salaried job that will keep him in Pelican Town, and the farm is thriving thanks to Daisy’s determination, and the help of the townspeople. But their problems are far from over as Daisy’s identity is still a secret from most of the town, tensions are still high at home between Demetrius and Sebastian, and Daisy’s abusive former fiancé is still looking for her. They are also dealing with the struggles that come with a new relationship. Will they overcome their issues and come out of it still as in love as they were before?With the help of their friends in the valley, and Daisy’s father, twin brother, and best friend in Zuzu City, they work together to finally be rid of Daisy’s ex and all the other obstacles they are currently facing. (I highly HIGHLY recommend you read this series in order or it will make no sense.) This is a continuation from Like You're the Only One in the Room.
Relationships: Abigail/Maru (Stardew Valley), Alex & Haley (Stardew Valley), Penny/Sam (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Stories of Me and You From That Front Porch View [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169129
Comments: 13
Kudos: 22





	1. Daisy's Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're jumping into the future for a minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm going to do something different here. Please don't hate me for it if you hate frame narratives. I love them! It only seemed fitting if part one of Daisy and Sebastian's story started in the past, that part two start in the future. This is not the end of part two but a major point in the story. Maybe this will force me to stick to my outline now.
> 
> I did not give away any specific time frame other than the fact that it happens sometime in the future, and we all knew it was going to eventually.
> 
> Music inspirations for this chapter include:  
> Running up that hill (covered by Placebo) for Sebastian's POV.  
> Running up that hill (originally recorded by Kate Bush) for Daisy's POV.
> 
> The song suits both of them in this chapter, but by different singers.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! Here we go with Part 2!

Sometime in the future….

Sebastian was distracted. He kept looking at the window, then checked the cameras on his phone. She’d sent him away for the day. Sam and Abigail had to kidnap him to get him to leave nearly. He hadn’t left her side since that day. Her bruises had faded, her wrist was healing, his hands had healed, but the inner scars remained for both of them. He didn’t have nightmares every night, but most of them. Particularly when Edward had warned them that Stephen made bail and was awaiting his court date, they knew he would, but the impact of the news still gave them a sense of uneasiness. Neither of them slept well those first few days. They waited to see if he would come after her again, but Stephen had stayed in ZuZu, to await his trial. Daisy’s father, Edward, had two private investigators following him. After working with the police chief, Edward had secured two off-duty officers to keep tabs on him in addition to his PI's. It gave Daisy and Sebastian some peace of mind, but not much. They would both have to testify. As would others in town as well. Sebastian was trying to prepare her for it. Daisy would often walk away or ask if they could discuss it later. The therapy had helped. Daisy was better about facing her demons than she used to be, but this was still too fresh. He had dropped it, for now. They would discuss it more once they were closer to the trial date. 

He wanted a cigarette, but he fought the urge. He’d only slipped a few times when no one was looking. Daisy knew, though, she always knew. He ran his hand through his hair instead. Another habit, but less detrimental to his health. She tugged at her hair a lot more these days. He had ceased trying to stop her. He just wanted it to be over. They both did. It would be soon. Just a little a bit longer now. 

They had been together for a while. Not as long as Alex and Haley, but longer than any other relationship he had previously been in. He barely noticed, honestly. Time didn’t seem to exist when he was with Daisy. Just another day of the week. The only thing that seemed to signal the time was the weather change, and even that faded into the background. He’d thought about it, that next big step. The step he wasn’t sure he would ever consider with anyone before he had met her. He had been against the thought because he preferred to be alone before her. Everything changed when she walked back into his life. It was as though she had woken him up and taught him to look at the world a little differently than before. He could ask her, but he wouldn’t. Not yet. It was too soon. Everything about the beginning of their relationship was fast. Full of passion and heated arguments. Lots of tears as well. They still fought, as he knew they always would, but they were fighting for each other. That was the difference. That’s how he knew when he looked at her; it would be forever for them. She may not realize it yet; at least, he didn’t think she did, but he knew. For him, she was his one and only. No one else could ever make better sense for him. 

He thought about what it would be like. Maybe rose gold in the band? He remembered that being her favorite, and she was surprised that he did. Not a huge diamond; she wouldn’t like that, but at least a karat. Something vintage and unique. The type of ring he would have to go to a special jeweler for. He’d thought about how he would ask her, where it would take place, and what she would wear. Would she have flowers in her hair? Sunflowers or daisies? Maybe both? Would she want something over-the-top or intimate? Probably small. He hoped she would want something small. Why was he even thinking about all of this? He should be thinking about the trial, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to think about something that didn’t involve Stephen Delvin. He wanted to think about life after they were finally free of him. Something about the future that guaranteed that she would be in it: he needed that so he could sleep at night. To make the nightmares finally stop. He would consider asking her a year from now, or maybe less. He wanted to wait until they had time together without Stephen Delvin hanging over their heads. A time where they could be happy as a couple without all the precautions and fears. He longed for that time. Not much longer. 

Sam strummed his guitar. Alex repeatedly threw his baseball in the air, catching it between throws. Emily was getting ready for her shift at the Saloon. Abigail was cutting Haley’s hair in the kitchen. His mother and sister would head over to the house soon. At least Daisy wouldn’t be alone. That made him feel better. He rechecked the cameras. Nothing had changed. Daisy had just come from the shed, carrying a crate of mayonnaise, jammed fruits, pickled hops, and other items he couldn’t make out in the grainy camera feed. She was fine. He should relax, mess around on his laptop, or maybe see what was on TV. Everything would be fine. 

His phone rang. It was Edward. Sebastian tried not to panic. There were several reasons Edward could be calling today. Still, that fear crept into the back of his mind. He answered on the second ring. 

“Sebastian?” Edward’s frantic voice yelled through the line. Sebastian closed his eyes and sighed internally. _Dammit,_ he thought. 

“What happened?” Sebastian forced himself to ask. 

“Delvin gave my PI’s the slip. My off-duty cops can’t find him either. The police are looking for him,” Edward’s voice cut out briefly. _Edward’s already in the car on his way here, but he won't make it in time_ ,” Sebastian thought. “They said he took his Range Rover. There’s only one reason he would take that car. I tried to call Daisy, but she didn’t pick up. We’re on our way, but you need to hide her,” Edward’s panicked voice said through the phone. 

Sebastian was already standing up. Sam and Alex shot him looks, reading his expression, before getting to their feet as well. Before Sebastian could respond to Edward, his phone vibrated against his ear. As he pulled it away from his face to see the notification, already knowing what it was, he saw that the exterior farmhouse cameras were offline. His mind went to the conversation they had that day. It felt like a lifetime ago.

_“Maybe we should have a code word? You know, a one-word signal in case I’m not here, and he shows up? Just a thought,” Sebastian suggested._

_“What like Julia Roberts in Ocean’s 12?” Daisy had teased him. Her hunter-green eyes glowing as she flashed him that teasing but warm smile._

_“Less complicated, but yes.” Sebastian had said, grinning at her reference._

_“Okay, what do you have in mind? Obviously not something we use in daily conversation.”_

_“That’s true. Something you can easily text me with. One word,” Sebastian had suggested._

Sebastian didn’t hear what else Edward was saying because he was waiting for that second notification to come through his phone. The one containing the single word he didn’t want to see. His phone vibrated again. Sebastian closed his eyes and pressed his lips together, cursing internally. He opened them to read the text. 

**RUN** ****

**••••••••**

Daisy had made a mistake. It was something so small, a blip in the radar for normal people, but catastrophic for her. She had done the routine a thousand times. Set the items in her hands down. Open the door. Turn the lock in the doorknob as she did. Pick up the items, shut the door behind her. Set the items down. Turn and lock the other three: chain, deadbolt, night latch. Check the doorknob. Pick up items and put them away. That was her routine every time she was alone. If Sebastian was coming in behind her, he did the routine. It was their system. One of many things Sebastian had insisted upon to keep her safe. It hadn't mattered the first time he found her. _It could have been worse_ , she told herself. _He could have killed me. I survived, and he was arrested. He had a court date. It's almost over._ That had become a personal mantra that got her through the day. She told it to Sebastian regularly to ease that look in his eyes and stop the nightmares. 

The bags under his eyes were so apparent now. She would wake up to him clinging to her. Shaking in his sleep. It was his turn to have the nightmares now. They had been so prepared, and yet it didn't matter. Her impulsiveness had been her downfall, but she survived with minimal external injuries. It was the scars within that still needed to heal for both of them. They would with time. Sebastian would smile again. One of his real smiles that he often saved only for her. She missed them. She'd seen the look in his eyes that day and realized that he would do anything for her. It scared her, and yet she knew she would do the same. They had come so far as a couple during their time together. The battle scars had only made them stronger. The sweet moments had only made their love for each other grow. It would all be over soon. She knew that wasn't completely true. There was her mother to contend with, but one issue at a time. With Stephen behind bars, her mother's perfectly planned future would be in tatters. Her mother was already scrambling. Daisy could hear it in the multiple voicemails she left. Daisy never responded to her. She didn't plan to. 

She had sent Sebastian away that day. He needed to get out of the house and have some downtime with his friends. She could see how burnt out he was. He was constantly burying himself in his work as a distraction, while she often worked in the silence between the shed and the kitchen. They had some nice moments, but she could see it in his eyes. The fear and pain every time he looked at her. Sometimes he would stare off into space, going somewhere Daisy was all too familiar with. _He's thinking about how close he came to losing me,_ she would think. Daisy would bring her hands to his face and tell him that they were fine, she was safe, and it was almost over. He would nod, but she knew he didn't believe her. At least, she didn't think so. They would heal with time. That's what she kept telling herself. 

Her mistake was so simple. Yet so important. Sebastian had made sure they were prepared. Their swords and a baseball bat hung by the door. Knife block was sitting behind the kitchen table, allowing her to put a solid piece of furniture between her and Stephen while she grabbed a knife. A security system notified both of them every time it saw someone on the property or if the cameras were down. They could monitor it from their phones. He had installed it himself to prevent any outsiders from coming into her home. Floodlights across her crop fields and surrounding her farm. A code word for her to text him if she was alone. Everything had been in place. They had been prepared. 

But Daisy had been distracted. Instead of saying her lock routine in her head as she came through that door, she was reciting the steps to making Sebastian's favorite food. She had been practicing. It had to be perfect. She wanted to see that smile on his face again. She forgot to lock the remaining three as she came into the kitchen and set her stuff down. That's when she heard the notification on her phone signaling that the exterior cameras were down. It was a distinct sound. Sebastian made sure of that too. She saw the missed call from her father. Seconds ticked by, and she processed the connection. Her father had called, and her exterior cameras were down. She turned back to the door, saw the three remaining locks still unlocked. Then she saw him in the window. Those cold blue eyes and smug grin watching her. Seconds. She had mere seconds. She texted Sebastian that three-letter word knowing there wouldn't be enough time to reach the locks. Daisy grabbed the chef knife just as she heard the sound of Stephen kicking the door in. 

_Run,_ she internally whispered to Sebastian. _Run!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's shorter than my usual chapter lengths, but I wanted to focus solely on this moment in the story. Thank you for reading! I'd love to know what your thoughts are in the comments. I will have Chapter 2 up hopefully within a week.


	2. Fragile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian finds a way to make the farmhouse safer for Daisy and unintentionally surprises her as well. Lots of fluff and sweet moments in this one!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is mostly a sweet fluff chapter with some important dialog and plot progression as well. It probably has one of my favorite scenes that I've written so far in it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> Sound inspirations for this chapter include:  
> The Fragile by NIN  
> Black Balloon by The Goo Goo Dolls  
> Strange Condition by Pete Yorn

Present Day…

Daisy stirred in her sleep, causing Sebastian to get up from the kitchen table to check on her. She was dreaming, although this one didn't seem as bad as they usually were. She wasn't crying out or thrashing, just whimpering a little. He slipped back into bed next to her and pulled her against him. Sometimes that pulled her out of them or at least seemed to calm her down. 

"Teddy," she said in her sleep. Sebastian frowned, not expecting to hear her brother's name. He was curious about what caused her to dream about him, but he wouldn't pry. Not unless she volunteered the information. Daisy's whimpers began to slow before disappearing altogether. She finally seemed to settle into a more relaxed sleep rhythm, and Sebastian felt safe leaving her again. 

It was three in the morning. Before Daisy, this was Sebastian's normal wake time, but both she and his new job had forced him into a normal sleep schedule. Yet, he wanted to get the issue of security on her property figured out as soon as possible. When they got home last night, they laid in bed, staring at each other, neither of them knowing what to say. Finally, he pulled her against him and held her until she eventually fell asleep. He suspected that she just needed to be held while she was alone with her thoughts. Something he often craved as well. He knew she was fighting the urge to go to her dark place, and if giving her something tangible to hold on to while she processed things was what she needed, then he would do just that. For as strong as he knew she was, she also seemed so fragile. She was near her breaking point but hiding it so well from the world. He felt like it was his job to keep her together when she did. Daisy was an optimist. She loved to shove her monsters and demons away behind a closed door and forgot about them for a while. But they often came for her at night in her dreams or in small reminders that triggered their release. He would help her keep that door closed as best he could, but eventually, she would have to face them. He was determined to be there for her when she did. 

Once asleep, Sebastian has been researching DIY security systems all night. He suspected that Daisy would resist such a precaution, given how she reacted over the locks on the door; however, Stephen's email could have finally woken her up to the direness of her situation. Either way, Sebastian was a facts person. He would do his research, decide based on the system's ability to protect her the best with farm's set up, and purchase it himself if need be. He settled on one that had alerts for the windows and doors. It also included exterior and interior camera options that would sync up to her cell phone, and at his insistence, his as well. It also offered a variety of property lighting options, including motion sensors. He realized that given the issue of living on a farm meant wild animals constantly triggering the lights, but it was a risk worth taken. Combined with the cameras, that would help ease their fear every time they got a movement notification. Plus, they could always adjust the settings to recognize humans over animals. He located a store about forty-five minutes away near Zuzu City that carried the entire kit and the add ons he was interested in. He would call Edward in the morning and see what his thoughts were on the system. He preferred a DIY to an actual company running it. He could control the security settings himself versus relying on a company to do it. Plus, the fewer people coming in contact with Daisy, the better. 

Sebastian crawled into bed next to Daisy, gently slipping an arm around her waist as not to wake her. He fell asleep moments later to find his dreams haunted by a pair of cold blue eyes staring back at him. He could see him grabbing Daisy's wrist while she fought to break away from him. Sebastian was in the room with them, but he couldn't reach her. He felt weighed down by an unseen force preventing him from helping her. Stephen's eyes were so cold and merciless. Sebastian fought against the unseen force, which felt like heavy fog surrounding him while suffocating him at the same time. He let out a scream and felt an arm on his shoulder. He jolted himself awake, breathing heavily, and looked over to see Daisy's concerned face. She had turned on the bedside lamp. He looked at her, saying nothing, and then got up. 

"Sebastian," she called after him, but he didn't respond. He went into the bathroom and splashed water on his face before gripping the sides of the sink with his hands. He could smell her perfume and realized she was standing in the doorway, watching him. Neither of them said anything. She knew. She had to know. 

"Let's go back to bed," he said, kissing her forehead before walking past her. 

"Or we could talk about it," Daisy suggested. 

"I don't want to talk; I want to sleep," he insisted, crawling back into bed.

"What happened to not shutting the door on each other?" she reminded him, crawling in new to him. "Let me in, please?" He looked at her as her eyes pleaded with him. He shook his head. 

"It was just a dream," he insisted. 

"No, it was a nightmare. Tell me about it," she said, looking at him with concerned eyes. He closed his and turned to lay on his back. Neither of them said anything for a moment. "Or at least tell me what you're thinking about," she asked.

"I'm thinking about how badly I want a cigarette if you really want to know," Sebastian confessed.

"Oh," Daisy said, sounding surprised. "How long has it been since you had one?"

"The night you told me about the abuse, I smoked my last one. I put a patch on the next day. I'd meant to for a while but recently decided it was time I actually do something about it. I picked up smoking when I was twenty-two for stress. Shit was bad at home back then. Worse than it is now. Then it became a habit I couldn't break. Surprisingly I'm doing okay without them until I feel stressed out, and then I crave them all over again. I'm hoping this boxing thing with Alex helps because I need a different outlet. I always need some sort of outlet, you know. Sometimes I would sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and ride my bike to that spot I took you. To think. About the city. About August. My dad. Sometimes you. Your smile. I thought about that a lot," he confessed. Daisy picked up his hand, turned it palm-side up, and kissed it. The sweet gesture caused Sebastian to turn and look at her before cradling her face in his hand. She leaned forward, bringing her lips to his, for a sweet kiss. When she pulled away, he kept his hand cradled against her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I couldn't get to you. I couldn't save you from him," he confessed. She placed her hand against his. 

"I'm right here. It's you and me. He isn't here," she said the words he had said to her so many times. 

"No, he isn't," Sebastian said, sitting up and bringing his other hand to her face. He brushed his lips against hers, and she returned it while bringing her hand to the back of his head and bring her body closer to his.

•••••••••••

Daisy woke up before Sebastian, choosing to let him sleep. She suspected he didn't sleep well before his nightmare. His hair was wild and lying over his face. She brushed it out of his face before climbing out of bed and starting on her day. By the time he arose, it was a little after eight-thirty. Daisy had already made herself a light breakfast and coffee before setting off to do her farm chores for the day. It was a new season which meant more planting, rearranging her sprinklers, refreshing the fertilizer, and clearing away any weeds or debris that had formed since her last clearing out. Thankfully Alex had stayed on top of that last part. He greeted her with his usual salute before setting to work. Her fences needed mending as well, but hopefully, Sebastian would keep his word and fix them for her. She was close to having enough hardwood cut to redo the fences, but Sebastian's temporary fix should help for now. She was also storing hardwood for the second story and side room she wanted to talk to Robin about adding down the road. Possibly by winter if she was lucky, but she had a lot of work ahead of her if she wanted to be ready by then. Daisy didn't mind. She needed the distraction. 

She fed her chickens, collected her void eggs, planted and fertilized crop rows for melons, tomatoes, blueberries, and peppers. She hoped to have cabbages, radishes, hops, corn, and wheat planted by that afternoon. She wanted to get her sunflower field finished today as well, leaving her to plant the poppies and spangles tomorrow. Daisy had started a small flower box garden in the spring, and it was finally starting to come together as the last of the frost was finally gone and the summer sun shined down. Mainly a mix of zinnias, cornflowers, vincas, inpatients, and geraniums. She put the daisies near her sunflowers, and they were beginning to bloom as well. She hoped she wasn’t too late on planting the sunflower seeds. She had already missed her window for lily’s, as they were an early spring bulb or fall, and Daisy was still figuring out her farm at that point. Peonies would be another bulb to plant in the fall. _Next year_ , she told herself. _Next year the garden will be even better._ Greta would be so proud. They had spent hours on Daisy’s balcony working in Greta’s flower boxes. Gardening had been Greta’s favorite hobby. She had taught Daisy a great deal about when to plant, how to properly drain and fertilize the soil, and spot issues before they spread and infected her entire garden. Daisy had built her own flower boxes from an instructional guide she had borrowed from the library. Sebastian hadn’t paid them much attention until the flower dance day when she arranged her pots to coordinate with the boxes. He had been surprised by her knowledge of gardening, and she teasingly offered to teach him how to as well. 

Daisy had everything mapped out for where she wanted to grow, and her summer crops appeared much more organized than her spring. She was getting better at this whole farming thing. She spotted Shane walking up from her lower gate as she was finishing up her sunflower field. He was carrying two separate cages in each hand. She met him halfway and looked into the cages. 

"Who do we have here?" she asked, giving him a quizzical look. 

"Hopefully, a second void chicken and a rooster for your chicken coop. Their owner dropped them off at Marnie's last night. His farm is a town over. He said they're too moody for his liking. I suggested we offer them to you before trying to sell them to someone else," Shane explained. Daisy squatted to look into the cage at the rooster, who pecked at her from behind the screen. "They're not too bad, just need a little extra love, is all," Shane insisted. Daisy looked at the rooster before shifting to look at the void chicken. Both stared back at her. 

"This one is Edmund," she said, pointing to the void chicken.

"Which literary character is that from?" Shane asked, following her as she walked toward the chicken coup. 

"It's not. Edmund is my brother, although I call him Teddy. It suits him," Daisy explained, unlocking the coup gate. 

"I'm not following."

"You would if you met my brother," Daisy said, turning to grin at him. 

"And the rooster?" Shane asked, letting both of them out of their cages. The rooster was completely black except for his red comb. Daisy chuckled as he began to crow and peck at the other chickens regarding him from the other end of the fence. Edmund had made his way over to the other three, cautiously but tempted by the remaining feed. The rooster remained by the gate, preferring to be by himself. 

"I think Sebastian will suit him just fine," Daisy said, and Shane laughed. 

"What will suit me just fine?' a sleepy Sebastian asked, appearing beside them, just as the rooster began to crow loudly. "Oh God, what is that? Aren't those fuckers only supposed to crow at sunrise or something?" His hair was still a wild mess. 

"It's you, in rooster form. Sebastian, meet Sebastian," Daisy explained. None of them realized that Alex had walked over to inspect what was going on as well until they heard him laughing loudly behind them. 

"Oh, now that is perfect!" Alex exclaimed, handing slapping his knees. Daisy and Shane laughed as well. Sebastian said nothing, only turned and headed back towards the house muttering,

"It's too fucking early for this shit!" 

Daisy said goodbye to Alex and Shane before following him into the house. She slipped her arms around his waist as he poured himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Then he offered her one. She took it graciously. He shook his head at her while giving her a side-eye, and she giggled into her mug. They were leaning against the kitchen countertops. Then they moved to sit at the kitchen table.

"You're lucky I love you," is all he said to her after drinking a few sips. 

"I know," she said, playing footsie with him. 

"I'll go mend your fences. Then I need to head home and get some stuff set up for work. I might run some errands after that, but I'll be back this afternoon. You don't mind, do you?" he asked, finishing his coffee. 

"No, I have a lot to do anyway," she said, rubbing her foot against his and enjoying the sweet moment. They needed more of those. 

•••••••••

Sebastian slipped into the house unnoticed. Maru was at the clinic, and his mother was on another job. Demetrius was in the middle of an experiment in the lab. Sebastian thanked Yoba; he didn't hear him come in. He went down to his room and shut the door. He set to work installing his new programs onto his desktop. They were all ready to go on his laptop, but he preferred to use his desktop over his laptop when it came to working. Then he pulled up Daisy's father's number, which he had saved, to his phone. He debated waiting until he could talk to Daisy about the security system. Still, he knew she was busy enough with farming today as it is. After last night's nightmare, he wanted to get the system installed as quickly as possible. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind. He wanted to run his ideas by her father first and see if he had a better solution before purchasing it. It wouldn't be cheap, but it would give him some peace of mind in leaving her alone, especially when he had to go into the city for work. If she insisted on paying for it herself, he would let her because he understood the boundaries of this being her house, not his. Still, he wanted to take care of it for her regardless. 

He called Edward's cellphone number, unsure if calling his office would have been more appropriate instead. Edward answered in his calm voice. 

"Well, hello, Sebastian. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked. Sebastian heard his voice at what sounded like a distance. Sebastian also noted that Edward's posh tone wasn't quite as apparent as Teddy's. He wondered why.

"Hello, Mr. Cole," Sebastian began.

"Edward," he reminded Sebastian. "By the way, you're on speakerphone. Edmund is in my office with me," Edward explained. 

"Edward, sorry, and…hello Edmund…Teddy, sorry." _Why didn't her family all go by the same name with each other?_ he thought, flustered. 

"It's Teddy, or whatever," Teddy said in the same mellow tone he had at the coffee bar on Saturday night. 

"I was calling because I wanted to discuss installing a security system at Daisy's farmhouse. I've been researching DIY systems, and I found one that I think will be a good fit over a company monitored one. I can control the privacy of the system better than what I trust some companies to do," Sebastian explained nervously. Why was he still so nervous talking to her father? Maybe because he usually made it a habit to avoid that milestone in a relationship. Daisy's family forced that encounter whether he was ready for it or not. 

"You think you can prevent hackers better than a company?" Edward asked. 

"Well, sir, I am a hacker myself. In addition to a programmer, that is," Sebastian explained. 

"Fair enough. Tell me about it," Edward said, offering Sebastian the opportunity to propose his plan. He explained the details, including the various cameras, sensors, lighting for the crop fields, better locks for her gates, and the ability to monitor everything from their phones. He also pointed out the risk of bringing a company into the farmhouse and recognizing Daisy or someone monitoring her house recognizing her. Both Edward and Teddy found these all to be good points. "Okay, you've convinced me. And you can install it yourself?" Edward asked.

"Shouldn't be an issue. I've installed a similar one at my mom's house," Sebastian said.

"Not including your step-father in that title then?" Edward pointed out. 

"It's his house as well, but the title of a parent is only earned by one who actually parents. That, he does not. But that's my problem, not yours," Sebastian explained and heard Teddy chuckle. 

"Daisy should use that one on our mother then," Teddy said. 

"Probably," Edward agreed. "Alright. You said you found a store where you can purchase the entire system today?"

"Yes, it's about forty-five minutes from here, or about an hour-fifteen from you," Sebastian explained. 

"Alright. Well, I'll pay for it. I should have done this before moving her in any way. Can Edmund and I meet you there in about two hours? We have a light afternoon meeting-wise. I can move them to tomorrow. If it's alright with you, I'd like to head back with you and see Daisy? We can visit for a little while and then head back to the city. If Edmund wants to tag along, that is?" Edward said, and Sebastian did a double-take at this. Edward and Teddy were meeting him to go shopping for home security equipment, and then both of them were coming back to Pelican Town with him. What would Daisy have to say about this? This was getting way more complicated than he initially thought. Not to mention he once again found himself in a one-on-one situation with her family. He found the urge to resist the extra company. 

"Sure, I just need to change and pick up a few things for Daisy at the penthouse," Teddy said. 

"Yeah, that's fine. If you're meeting me, then I won't worry about borrowing my mom's truck to bring everything back in. I'll have …." Sebastian paused, realizing how it might sound to Edward if he learned he had a motorcycle. _Shit,_ he thought. 

"Your motorcycle?" Edward finished for him. Sebastian closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. 

"Yes."

"Edmund told me. Does my daughter wear a helmet when she rides it with you?" Edward asked. 

"Yes."

"Do you drive recklessly on it?" Edward asked.

"No," Sebastian answered honestly. 

"Do you obey all traffic laws?" Edward added his tone a mix of amused and serious. 

"Yes, sir," Sebastian said, never seeing his motorcycle as a hindrance to dating until now. 

"Well then, I have no issue with it. Just be safe. Not everyone looks out for you guys out there. I'll have my Lincoln Navigator. We'll see you there at twelve-thirty, sound good?" Edward said, and Sebastian confirmed the time before hanging up. He had enough time to shower, eat, and think of how he would explain this whole surprise to Daisy. Hopefully, this would all be a happy surprise for her.

•••••••••••

Sebastian pulled up to the hardware store and spotted the light blue Lincoln Navigator that Edward said he would be driving. He parked alongside it, removing his helmet. He had opted for his usual black skinny jeans with a Tool t-shirt and leather jacket. No need to hide who he really was from them at this point. Both a dressed down Edward and Teddy climbed out of the Navigator. Then Teddy went around to the passenger seat, and a sober and ecstatic Essie hopped out. Sebastian took her in with her light make-up and tousled blond hair, which she promptly pulled a ball cap over. She had on incredibly short denim shorts and a plain purple t-shirt. Sebastian realized that without all the make up she was beautiful. He could see why Teddy liked her. 

"Told you I had some things to pick up at the penthouse," Teddy half-grinned at him. Essie extended her hand to Sebastian with a friendly smile. 

"Properly this time. Celeste Bradley, but please call me Essie. Everyone I like does, and I think I'm going to like you," she said, winking at him. Sebastian took her hand.

"I call you Es though," Teddy reminded her. She turned towards him with an affectionate grin. 

"Well, I don't always like you, do I?" she teased, and Teddy only smiled at her. Sebastian recognized that look. Daisy often gave him a similar one. They had the same smile. 

"I must say, well-done Daisy. You're a cutie. I'm digging those slate-grey eyes of yours," Essie said, looking Sebastian over. Sebastian felt his cheeks color. 

"Ummm, thanks," he said self-consciously while eyeing Teddy's uncomfortable grin. Then she turned back to Teddy and said, 

"So can we bring Alucard into the store, or will I need to stay out here with him?"

"I checked online, and they said dogs were welcome," Teddy said, opening the door and let out a leashed, overly excited yellow lab mix. "I'm assuming you've seen Castlevania?" Teddy asked as the dog bounded for Sebastian. 

"Of course," Sebastian said, leaning down to let Alucard sniff him. "Miso isn't going to like you," he said, rubbing the dog's head.

"Who's Miso?" Edward asked, coming around from the driver's side and eyeing Sebastian's motorcycle. 

"Daisy's cat. She's a stray that Daisy took in," Sebastian explained. 

"That's great! She always wanted a cat; she just couldn't have one," Essie said, and Sebastian caught the look Teddy gave her. Sebastian frowned.

"Why couldn't she?" he asked. 

"Stephen hated them," Teddy explained, and Sebastian nodded in understanding. 

"So then, is this your motorcycle?" Edward asked, inspecting it with a nostalgic look in his eye. "Wow, this is an old classic. I used to have one just like this. I took your mom out on it quite a bit, Sebastian."

"You did?" Both Teddy and Sebastian said in unison. 

"Wait, are you telling me that your old high school girlfriend was his mother?" Teddy asked with his voice full of amusement. Sebastian was still trying to process this.

"Yes, and I'm assuming based on the look on Sebastian's face, this is all news to him," Edward concluded. 

"You could say that. When did you date exactly?" Sebastian asked, unsure of what news was more shocking. The fact that Daisy's father and his mother had dated or his mother used to ride a motorcycle. This led to all sorts of questions that Sebastian wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to.

"On and off throughout high school, but then she met your father, and I moved to the city. You know the rest," Edward explained. Sebastian nodded, wondering if Daisy knew this as well. It shouldn't bother him, but it was a little weird to think that their parents had dated. Was that August's reason for taking him under his wing all those years?

Once inside the store, they split into two groups. Edward took Essie to look at some outdoor chairs that he wanted to surprise Daisy with, and Sebastian headed to the home security section with Teddy and Alucard. Sebastian liked dogs, as did his mother, but Demetrius had always been against pets. Sebastian pulled out his list on his phone and started adding items to the cart, feeling Teddy's gaze on him as he did. 

"So what's the deal with your step-father?" Teddy finally asked. Sebastian closed his eyes, resisting the urge to make a face. He hated talking about his issues with Demetrius. Talking to Daisy about it was hard enough. 

"We don't get along. He wants me to move out, even though financially, they can't afford it if I do. Not with their current expenses. He works for the university, and they have all but cut his funding because he won't adopt from his old school ways to the direction the university wants him to go. He's an environmentalist. Does it all by hand. The university wants him to go in a more digital direction. So I'm paying half the mortgage plus utilities and other bills where they need the extra funds. He wants my sister to go into a similar field or medical school, but she would prefer to continue working on her nursing degree and study robotics instead. They can't afford medical school currently, but Demetrius is determined. I'm helping them pay off the house, and then I plan to get a place of my own, although I'm not sure yet. Pelican Town doesn't exactly have many rental options, but there are other towns," Sebastian explained.

"How far would that put you away from Iz then?" Teddy asked.

"Further than I'm currently comfortable with," Sebastian said. "Given the situation."

"Understandable," Teddy said. "Is that your only issue with him, or do you not get along for other reasons?"

"He never wanted to be my father. My mom got married young. Eighteen, actually. She had me at nineteen. Then my real father died in a car accident when I was two."

"Sorry," Teddy said quietly. Sebastian shrugged.

"She met my step-father a year later. She wasn't ready to start dating again but went on a few dates and found herself in a difficult situation. He married her, especially when she was adamant that she wanted my sister, but he had no intention of becoming my father. With Maru, he had to, and he embraced it. With me, I was just a reminder."

"Of?" Teddy asked. 

"My father, who my mother was still very much in love with at the time. That's why I was so close to your grandfather growing up. He practically took me in. My mother did her best and is still trying to fix things, but I don't see Demetrius and I ever having a relationship. He blew that. It never got better, and he always resented me. But I'll do the therapy and try to find a way to get along with him, for my mom and Maru's sake," Sebastian explained, adding the last of the security system's items to the cart. 

"I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like a shitty situation all around," Teddy said, a tone of familiar sadness in his voice. Sebastian shrugged and looked at him.

"Well, at least I know a thing or two about inner demons and pain. So I understand Daisy in that regard."

"She called me and told me that the two of you discussed everything. Did you tell her how you feel?" Sebastian nodded, wondering what Daisy and Teddy had discussed about him. 

"I did. She feels the same way. It's still new, though, so we have a lot to figure out. I'm not saying I don't love her, but I can't say I've been in a situation like this one before, either. It's a little difficult to navigate," Sebastian confessed, running his hadn't through his hair. 

"Who has?" Teddy shrugged. "I have no advice as I'm terrible with relationships. Blame it on my less than loving mother. "Daisy's never coming back, is she?" he asked randomly.

"No, I don't think so. The farm suits her, as does the town. You'll see," Sebastian said, knowing he was right.

••••••••

Daisy heard Sebastian's motorcycle pull up just as she finished showering off and taking a quick break for a late lunch. Her hair was still a mess, but it felt good to get the grime off of her. She smiled, not expecting him back so soon. She stepped out onto the porch as he was pulling his helmet off his head and smiled at the bad-boy look he always had when he rode his bike. Only the look in his eyes made her pause and wondered what was wrong. 

"Please don't hate me for the surprise that's about to pull up. I had no intention of today going like this," he said, as her father's blue Lincoln Navigator pulled up beside him. Daisy blinked several times before processing that her father was here, at her farm. Sebastian was watching her closely as she walked down the steps to greet them. The back passenger door opened first and out bounced an ecstatic Essie, nearly knocking her over, and she ran towards her with her arms outstretched and squealing with delight. Daisy barely had time to register her friend hugging her before seeing her brother over Essie's shoulder. Teddy smiled warmly at her but stood back, allowing Essie her moment. 

"I've missed you so much. The penthouse feels so empty without you!" Essie said, hugging her tight. Daisy felt tears forming in her eyes as she hugged her back.

"What are you all doing here?" she asked, still not sure how they were standing in front of her. Did Sebastian do all of this?

"It's a long story," her father said, exiting the driver's side door. Essie released her hold on her to allow Daisy's father to pull her into a hug. "Hey, kiddo. Sorry for the surprise. We sort of commandeered Sebastian's well-intended plans. Really, we wanted to see you." Daisy looked at Sebastian, who was standing back against the house, observing the exchange between all of them. She wondered if he felt like an outsider. Teddy finally approached her. He was the one she wanted to see the most. He hugged her tightly, and neither of them let go for a moment. She buried her face against his shoulder. His familiar citrus, amber, and marine scent filled her senses. Teddy always wore the same aftershave, and its smell had become a permanent association with him in her mind. She noticed Sebastian's aftershave the morning of the Flower Dance, but never before, making her wonder if he had just started wearing it for her or if he had switched to something more fragrant. The smell made her think of patchouli, bergamot, and leather, which seemed to suit him. 

The thing about being a twin was that everyone assumed strange things about you or made weird propositions. They were often asked if they could sense each other or spoke in their own secret language. While they did have pet names and a deeper understanding of each other than most, there was nothing unusual beyond that in their relationship. They were incredibly protective of each other. Especially Teddy of her. They had always been close, with Essie by their side more often than not. Especially during the holidays, her parents were vacationing at some resort together and leaving her and the staff alone to fend for themselves. Essie had been family for as long as she could remember. And Teddy had loved Essie for equally as long. Of that, Daisy was certain. When she pulled away, he smiled at her affectionately.

"Hello, Iz," he said. "You look good. Really good." She caught a stray tear in his eye, which he quickly blinked away. Teddy always had to appear so hard on the outside. 

"I've missed you, little brother. Grandpa would be shocked to hear that you finally made it out here after all these years. Although those shoes won't last five minutes in my fields," she said, gesturing to his loafers. 

"Can't take the city out of the boy, you know?" he quipped before backing away to join the others. 

"So why are you all here? Did you organize this?" Daisy asked, looking at Sebastian. He eyed her nervously, as though debating what to say. 

"More like Sebastian called me to propose a security system for your farmhouse that he had researched and located in a store halfway between ZuZu and here. I suggested we meet there so that I could pay for it and come back with him. Edmund and Celeste tagged along," her father explained. 

"I see," Daisy said, not pleased by their decision to make sure an expensive purchase without her approval or input. "And you decided not to include me in on this plan or ask me if this is what I wanted?" she said, with evident irritation in her voice. 

"We wanted to surprise you. It's only a security system, Daisy. I should have had one installed when you first moved in. Sebastian got the ball rolling on it, and I pushed him to let me purchase it right away. Why is this such an issue for you?" her father asked, and she shook her head in frustration. He didn't understand. None of them did. 

"This is my house and my issue. I appreciate you all trying to help, but you could have at least gotten my input or asked me first," she said, turning to walk away. "I need to check on my chickens," she said, walking down the trail towards her chicken coup. She heard Teddy say,

'I'll talk to her." Then she heard Sebastian's voice say,

"No, I will. This is my fault. I knew better." Daisy closed her eyes and kept on walking, not wanting to turn and face him. She was the angriest at him. Especially because he did know better, yet he still let her down. She could hear his footsteps, but he hadn't yet called out to her. This surprised her, but then she considered the possibility that he was waiting until they were out of earshot of her family to talk. Knowing she couldn't completely escape him, she stopped at the edge of her remaining tree line and turned to wait for him. He stopped a few feet away, seeming to debate how to proceed. Daisy knew from this angle the others couldn't easily see them. She looked at him, shaking her head. 

"What happened to no secrets and letting each other in? Or does that only apply when you feel it's necessary?" she said, unable to hide the hurt in her expression. 

"I fucked up, and I'm sorry. I know how important it is for you to make your own decisions. I didn't think. You had a lot of work ahead of you today, and I didn't want to bother you with it. So I had planned on buying it and then seeing what you thought, but when I called your dad to get his opinion, he insisted on meeting me and coming back here," Sebastian explained, still keeping his distance.

"That's when you should have called me. Bother me with it next time. Ask my opinion. Sebastian, this is my house, and I want to have a say in what goes into it. For years I've done what everyone has demanded of me, no questions asked. "Here," she gestured to the farm, "I want to be the master of my own decisions."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Everyone seems to think that I'm so fragile. That I need to have my decisions made for me to succeed. Why can't people let me figure it out on my own? Do I seem that helpless or determined to enable my own self-destruction?" she asked, fed up with all of it.

"No, it's not like that at all. We only want to help. I agree that you should have a say in all of it, but people are trying to protect you from him. I read that email too, Daisy. I met him in the restaurant. I know exactly who we're up against. All I want is to prevent him from causing you serious harm. I realize that I fucked up by not asking your opinion first, but what's done is done. I'll take it back if that's what you want, but I didn't just buy this system on a whim. I stayed up half the night researching it, trying to determine what would work best for this farm," Sebastian said, desperation evident in his tone. Daisy registered his confession. He seemed so tired this morning; now she knew why. That's what caused his nightmare. 

"Sebastian…." she began. 

"I'm not saying you're fragile, but I don't know how to protect you from that dark place your mind goes to sometimes. After last night's email and seeing your determination to get your summer crops in the ground, I decided to do this for you. It was the wrong decision, and I know that now. I own that, but I can't change what I did. I can only make sure to include you in the decision-making next time," Sebastian explained, and Daisy saw the tiredness in his expression. He looked exhausted. She walked up to him and took his, pressing her forehead against his. He let out a sigh of relief and let his arm fall around her waist. 

"I'm not the only one who's fragile, Sebastian. I can see how much this is getting to you too. Don't let it consume you," she cautioned.

"I'm fine. It was only a dream, he insisted. 

"We both know it wasn't," she said, pulling back to look up at him. "I'm sorry I got so angry with you. I've been under my mother's control my entire life. I couldn't even go to that sushi restaurant without her knowing about it. My so-called friends would tell her my whereabouts in exchange for payment or a guaranteed climb on the social ladder. That's all I was to them. It's why I have trust issues. People doing things out of the goodness of their heart isn't exactly something I'm used to. While I trust you, your mom, Haley, and Shane, it's still scary for me."

"You know it's not about that with me. I only want to help you," Sebastian insisted, running a hand up and down her back. "We all do."

"I know, but the instinct to not trust is still there. It may be for a while. I'm terrified of being controlled again. Sebastian, I kissed you that day on the porch because I wanted to. You weren't some trust fund boy or Stephen. You weren't one of my mother's approved suitors. You were a boy that I liked, and I wanted to kiss you to see what it was like. Especially because I knew she would never find out. Now what I did after that was childish, but I didn't think you were interested in me, so I ran." Sebastian smiled at this.

"You know that's not true," he said before his expression turned more serious. "Daisy, why didn't you tell me that you came back?" Daisy stepped away from him, wondering how he knew. The way he could have known that was if her father or Teddy had told him. She herself had pretty much dismissed the memory of the times she ran away because they didn't matter. At least not to her anyway.

"My father or Teddy?" she asked, and he understood her question.

"Both. Teddy told me that you stayed inside for the memorial. Your father told me that you ran away a few times, and he found you on the porch the last time. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would it have mattered? We didn't see each other, and it didn't change anything. I didn't know where you lived or if you would even care that I came back at the time. So I didn't tell you about it," Daisy explained. 

"What about the memorial?" he prodded. She sighed.

"I was devastated. But as upset as I was, I could only imagine your pain. I saw you through the window from upstairs. I didn't know what to say to you. You looked so sad. Again, it was selfish and childish on my part, but I was dealing with my own demons at the time on top of losing him. I didn't know how to deal with someone else's pain in addition to my own. One of my many sins I'm still trying to do penance for. I'm sorry, Sebastian. I should have come out and said something to you. You deserved that much," she explained. 

"You're here now though, that's all that matters. I'd like to think that we found our way back to each other regardless of how or when it happened," he said, looking in the direction of the house. "Shall we go back and see your family?" he asked, starting to move away, and she grabbed his shirt. 

"Wait," she said with a sweet smile and looked down at her with curious amusement. "I know you didn't mean to, but you brought my family to me, Sebastian. Despite everything, that's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me," she said, stopping her mouth inches from his, "aside from building me scarecrows and buying me mining boots, that is." He chuckled at this before closing the gap between them. 

••••••••••••

Sebastian watched Daisy with her family while he installed the cameras. Edward helped him as needed. Teddy and Essie watched Daisy as she finished up planting hops, corn, and wheat. She then moved on to her sunflower field that he knew she was determined to finish before calling it a day and coming over to inspect his progress. Teddy's dog, Alucard, ran around the farm while she worked, inspecting everything in sight. Miso had made herself scarce in the house. Sebastian installed one camera over the front porch to monitor the door and bay window. He installed a second over her driveway and an additional two looking out over her crop fields. He also put sensors on her windows and motion sensor lights over her porch and shed. He still needed to install the interior alarm system that could either be tripped by someone opening the door when activated or manually by the owner's phone. He thought that feature would come in handy if someone like Stephen would attempt to break in, and they were inside. Perhaps he was thinking a bit too much into this, but he wanted to cover his bases. At Daisy's request, her father ordered two additional cameras for her chicken coup and eventual barn. If someone tampered with her animals, Daisy wanted to know about it. Sebastian also put locks over the outlet boxes to prevent the cameras from simply being unplugged. The only fault in the system was the risk that someone could cut Daisy's cable line, killing her internet. He locked the cable box, but part of the cable was still exposed above ground. Someone would need a special kind of tool to cut the cable. He didn't know if Stephen was smart enough to think that far ahead, but he wasn't taking any chances. He hoped that Stephen would underestimate Daisy and come unprepared. Anything to buy them time. 

As he finished up the final outlet lock, covered in sweat and regretting his choice of dark clothing, Edward walked up to him with a glass of ice water. Sebastian was grateful. He had neglected to reapply sunscreen once they got back to the farm, leaving his pale skin exposed. A light shade of pink covered his arms. He could only assume his face, and the back of his neck suffered the same fate. 

"Daisy said you would need it," Edward said, handing it to him.

"Thanks," Sebastian said, taking it from him and relishing the ice-cold water quenching his thirst. 

"Bad day to wear dark clothes. Especially those jeans," Edward remarked.

"I always do. I prefer dark clothing," Sebastian explained. 

"Nothing wrong with that. You're not a man of many words, are you?" Edward asked. Sebastian pressed his lips together, not sure how to explain himself. 

"Not really. I'm usually more of a silent observer. I've never been one for big crowds or, well, people in general. It's not that I refuse to be around people, but I prefer not to be if I can avoid them," he said, eyeing him. "No offense."

"None took; my son is the same way. Poppy is more like her mother, though. She lives for the spotlight. Daisy…it depends on the day and the moment," Edward said. 

"I've noticed," Sebastian said, looking over at Daisy, who was sitting on the porch with Teddy and Essie, laughing. Her warm smile lit up her entire face. He realized he was witnessing a side of her that he didn't often see. She was completely at ease with the two of them, as though it was where she was meant to be. "The Trio" was once again united, for the moment anyway. 

"Don't be intimidated by them," Edward said, reading his thoughts. "They may be "The Trio," but life will change that with time. With any luck, Edmund and Celeste will someday realize what is right there in front of them and finally become much more than good friends. Daisy will move on in the direction that her heart is already calling her home to. This farm, the town, and whatever else her heart desires," he said, looking at Sebastian with a warm smile. Sebastian shifted uncomfortably, running his hand through his hair. Edward laughed. "I suppose that habit is better than Daisy's tugging at her hair. Don't worry, Sebastian; I know your relationship is still in the early stages. I'm simply suggesting that you not feel intimidated by what the three of them share. There's always room for one more. If you open yourself up to them, that is." Sebastian understood what Edward was trying to say. In a way, he reminded Sebastian a great deal of August. "Anyway, thank you for doing this for her. I am indebted to you."

"Don't worry about it. I only want to keep her safe," Sebastian said, continuing to observe her with them. He didn't feel like it was his place to intrude, despite Edward's advice. 

"Because you love her?" Edward asked, and Sebastian turned to look at him. 

"Yeah," Sebastian confirmed. 

"Good," Edward said. "She'll need that reminder when Stephen finds her. I know she's stronger than I give her credit for, but she'll need a solid foundation of people supporting her if she's ever going to come forward. Continue to help her as you have been. She'll be ready with time. She's already much stronger than she was when I put her on that bus."

"I know she is," Sebastian agreed.

"And the thing with your mom, it was puppy love. We were just kids in a small town who wanted different things out of life. If it's alright with you though, I'd like to be her friend again. I've really missed her," Edward said.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'm assuming Daisy knows?"

"Your mom told her. Speaking of your mother, here she comes. Daisy called her, asking to bring you over some clean clothes," Edward said, and Sebastian looked up to see his mother heading their way.

"Oh, your poor face and arms! Did you forget to put sunscreen on today? I know I told you to get more vitamin D, but this may have been too much," his mother teased him, and he rolled his eyes, accepting the clean clothes. Then she turned to Edward. "Here's a face I haven't seen in years. Hug me, or are you too famous for that now?"

"No, I'll never be too famous for Robin O'Conner hugs," Edward said, pulling her in for a tight hug. Sebastian observed the two of them and could see the possibility of a romantic past between them. They seemed like old friends from a happier time. Yet reunited, that sense of happiness came right back to them. His mother released him.

"Now, how about you introduce me to that son of yours," she suggested, and they all headed for the farmhouse. 

Once inside and introductions over with, Daisy took his hand and led him to the bathroom. She immediately pulled out her ibuprofen and aloe vera. He set his clean clothes down on the towel shelf as she handed him a fresh glass of water and two pills. He swallowed them, then finished off the glass. That's when he realized that her hair was wet. He had been so busy working; he hadn't noticed her slip inside to take a shower.

"Something tells me that skin of yours never sees any sun," she said, gently pulling his shirt over his head. He smiled at this while cringing at the pain. "Take a cool shower, and I'll apply the aloe once you get out. Yoba, you poor thing, you look so tired. Now you know why I wear a hat while working outside," she said, putting her hand against his chest. He felt exhausted. Coffee may not be enough at this point. "Were you still planning on boxing with Alex today?" she asked, and he shook his head. 

"I completely forgot."

"I'll text him, explaining. Take a shower. I'm going to get dinner sorted out with everyone, and then I'll be back. We can finish the interior alarm stuff later," she said, pulling away. 

"Would you mind making a pot of coffee?" he nearly whispered, fighting his exhaustion.

"A nap would do you more good," Daisy pointed out.

"Yeah, but your family is here, and I'd like to spend time with them. If that's alright with you?" he asked. Daisy kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Of course it is. I'll be back in a bit." With that, she was gone, back to the others. Their laughter was evident on the other side of the bedroom door. Sebastian took a cool shower, giving his skin much-needed relief. He could smell the coffee brewing. Miso observed him from Daisy's bed, and he agreed with the cat's preference of being alone. As he was getting dressed, Daisy came back in. She led him over to the bed and gently applied the aloe on his tender skin. He closed his eyes, feeling the gentleness of her fingers move over his face and arms. Despite Sebastian's strong hatred of being touched by people, he had a penchant for her touch. It was never anything but comforting for him. He hoped she knew that. He should make sure she did. She pulled his shirt gently over his head. It was sleeveless. _Did Daisy make that suggestion to his mother, or had she done it unknowingly?_ he wondered.

"Thank you," he whispered. She straddled his lap, careful of his neck as she laid her arms gently on his shoulders. Her beautiful eyes studied his until he brushed his lips against hers softly. Sleep was beckoning him, but he fought against it. 

"Any time," she whispered. "Let's just stay here for a moment longer before we join the others," she suggested, and he nodded in agreement. He wondered if she knew he needed it. Not being one for strangers and small talk, today had been a lot for him. Eventually, they joined the others in the living room. 

•••••••••••

Daisy's father, Teddy, and Essie stayed for dinner, which Robin and Daisy's father drove into town to pick up. Her father mentioned wanting to catch up with people briefly. At first, Daisy was nervous about her father's being in town, risking exposing her, but at this point, if they didn't know who Daisy was, it was doubtful they would recognize her even lower profile father. To them, he was August's son, nothing more. Daisy hoped that was all they saw him as. Daisy sat with Sebastian's arm around her on the couch. Essie and Teddy sat in the winged-back chairs. The four of them chatted about Sebastian and Teddy's love for Cave Saga, the mischief that Teddy and Daisy used to get into as children, and how terrible Daisy was at cooking. Daisy defended herself, insisting that she was learning. At one point, Teddy went outside to the car and produced three liquor bottles. Sebastian only recognized the gin. Daisy was beside herself with glee, explaining to Sebastian that they were the ingredients to make her favorite drink. She enjoyed a good French martini while partying, but an Angel Face helped Daisy unwind at night. Sebastian was intrigued by the drink's apricot brandy ingredient and agreed to try one the next time she made one. Teddy referred to it as the "Daisy Kellerman" given how often she drank it back in the city. When Sebastian asked why she hadn't made one before, she explained that Pierre's didn't sell Apricot Brandy or Calvados. Sebastian said that he knew shop a few towns over in the direction ZuZu that might. If not, he knew a small specialty liquor store in Pine Ridge Valley would for sure. Teddy also produced a few Bluetooth speakers he had brought from her penthouse, including one for outdoors. It would be great when she worked outside and didn't have to deal with the Bluetooth in her earbuds constantly dropping while she worked. Her father had also given her four new Adirondack chairs, which Sebastian suggested they set up in a spot where they could build a small fire pit. Daisy was starting to see her farm coming together. 

While waiting on dinner, they walked down with Daisy to lock up her chicken coup for the night. Teddy took in the sites of the farm while keeping a tight hold on Alucard's leash. Daisy introduced them to Oak, Darcy, and Thornton first, earning a giggle from Essie and an eye roll from Teddy.

"Who?" Sebastian asked, not understanding the reference. Daisy grinned. 

"They're the names of the male leads in my favorite period romance novels," she explained. Sebastian went to rub his face with his hand before pulling it away from the sudden pain. 

"I'm really sorry I asked. That's almost as bad as naming the rooster after me," he groaned. At this, Teddy chuckled loudly. 

"Why did you name the rooster after Sebastian?" he asked.

"Because he prefers to be left alone. Or he does for now. Plus, I have a feeling he and Sebastian are not going to be friends," Daisy explained. As if on cue, the rooster Sebastian crowed loudly, and Sebastian shot Daisy an annoyed look. "See what I mean?" she asked, giving him an affectionate grin. 

"What about this black and red chicken in the corner? She seems pretty moody as well," Essie asked. 

"Oh, that's Edmund," Daisy said, fighting the urge to giggle as she did. Sebastian let out a snort, earning a look from the others, and Daisy gave him a playful grin before taking his hand. 

"What? Hey!" Teddy said, checking out the moody void chicken who shared his name. "She's not that moody," Edmund insisted, cautiously reaching out to pet her. As they walked back to the house, Daisy fell back to be in-step with her brother. 

"It's good to see you smiling again," she told him. Teddy gave her a soft smile in return.

"You as well. This place is good for you. I think he might be as well," he said, gesturing to Sebastian.

"I think so too," Daisy agreed, giving him the same smile in return. They returned to the house, and Daisy's mind immediately went to Greta. She had been wondering what had happened to her. "Where did Greta end up? Is she doing okay?" she asked them.

"Greta is still at the penthouse. She's taking care of me," Essie explained. 

"Mother wanted to move her to the manor house, but we both know how much Greta hates that house. So we compromised. Greta is maintaining the penthouse while I pay her salary. I pay her better than our mother did anyway. Plus, she takes care of Essie," Teddy explained. "Once mother accepts that you're not coming back and kicks Essie out, I will move them both to my loft."

"What about your staff?" Daisy asked. Teddy shrugged.

"What's one more? She's so close to retirement that she doesn't need to be going back to the manor. I just need to keep her salaried until she can retire, and then she's free to do whatever she wants," Teddy said.

"She really misses you, Daisy. She talks about how envious she is of you living on a farm like this. I think she wants to move here when she retires," Essie said. Daisy sighed, wishing for something she knew wasn't possible. Greta would be so happy here too. She grew up on a farm. 

"She's what, a year from retirement? I might have the two-story built and the house expanded by then, but no guarantees. I don't want her to retire just to take care of me. I can't afford to pay her even if she did. If she moved here, I would prefer she has her own space and visits me as she pleased. As much as I want her to move here, I don't know where she would live," Daisy said, and silence filled the room. 

"You know, my mom has these pre-manufactured cabins available for purchase if you wanted to buy a few and put them on your farm. I think we could fit about three. It might be enough for your family to visit again. Or for Greta to live in? They aren't fancy, but they would be her own space while having her close to you," Sebastian said, surprising everyone given how silent he had been before. "The community pays for them. You only have to supply some materials, clear the land, and pay a small fee. If you're interested, my mom and I can definitely help you." Daisy looked at him, wanting to tug on his shirt and pull her to him, despite her brother and Essie sitting across from them. He found a solution when she thought there was none. 

"I'm interested. I'll talk to your mother," she said. "What about you guys? Think you can rough-it for a few days?"

"As long as we can hang out here when we do!" Essie said, grinning. 

Robin and Daisy's father returned with dinner not long after, laughing over Gus's tickled reaction to see Edward back in town. Robin said her goodbyes, insisting on needing to get home to Demetrius and Maru. The group continued to tell embarrassing stories about Daisy, earning a few smiles and laughs out of Sebastian. Eventually, he moved to finish up the alarm installation and set up the system while syncing it to his and Daisy's phones. After running a few test runs, he felt confident that it was ready to go. Edward announced that they needed to get on the road soon after getting out of the rougher roads before dark. Everyone said their goodbyes, and Daisy fought back the tears as they drove away. At some point, Sebastian had slipped his hand in hers; she stared down at it, appreciating the gesture. Once they headed back inside, Sebastian secured the locks while Daisy finished up the last of the cleaning up. Then he pulled out both of their phones to set the specific notification alert for when the system went down. 

"If you hear this sound or see this pop-up, that means the cameras are down. That should only happen if your internet service drops or if the cable is cut. It's a flaw in the system, but it's the best I can do. Do you think he would be smart enough to cut the line?" he asked her, seeming uneasy about the thought. 

"He might. He's arrogant, though. He'll assume I'm vulnerable and unprepared. He never considered me to be intelligent," Daisy confessed. Sebastian smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Well, that's his first mistake. This makes me a bit more comfortable about leaving you alone. I'm not sure if I'll stay here every night. Weekends for sure, but during the week, it will depend on work and other things. I'll probably stop by and see you at least."

"I'm good with that. Your mom wants me to come for dinner at least one night a week as well. Tomorrow actually. Maybe I could hang out in your room afterward, though," she winked at him, pulling him closer.

"I think I would rather walk you home and then have my way with you. Plus, we can as loud as we want then," he teased. 

"Oh, well, I like that even better. I'm guessing you're too tired for tonight?" she asked, and he nodded. 

"Yeah, definitely not tonight. Hopefully tomorrow, though. I guess we'll see how badly this hurts first," he said, gesturing to his arms. 

"Aloe Vera and water," she reminded him, starting to walk towards the couch. He caught her hand gently before letting it go. She slipped it back into his, looking up into his eyes. Daisy had begun to notice Sebastian's constant caution in touching her wrist. She wondered if her first triggered attack had left him somewhat traumatized as well. Fragile like her, but fighting to hide that weakness. She knew he was debating how to say what he was thinking, and she gave him a moment to put it together. Sometimes he needed that.

"Maybe we should have a code word? You know, a one-word signal in case I'm not here, and he shows up? Just a thought," Sebastian finally said. 

"What like Julia Roberts in Ocean's 12?" Daisy had teased him, flashing him a teasing but warm smile.

"Less complicated, but yes." Sebastian had said, grinning at her reference. 

"Okay, what do you have in mind? Obviously not something we use in daily conversation."

"That's true. Something you can easily text me with. One word," Sebastian had suggested. Daisy looked at him, then smiled, knowing what he would say when she asked. 

"What would you do if I told you he was here?" she asked him,

"I would run as fast as I could," he said.

"Well, there you go. Run. That's our word," she said, and he nodded, saying it out loud. 

"Run."

••••••••

Daisy groaned as they sat on the couch, both exhausted from the day. Sebastian agreed, although his pain was more from the burning sensation on his skin. 

"I'm so sore. I'm assuming the start of every season is going to be like this," she whined. 

"Most likely. Except for winter. Although I'm sure you'll find plenty of work to do regardless," he said, burying his face in her coconut-scented hair. His mother was always chopping food and crafting furniture in the winter. "What did you do before I started sleeping over? When you were sore from working, I mean."

"I took a bath in my claw-foot tub, played some music, lit some candles, that kind of thing," she said, resting her head against his chest.

"You could go take one right now. I could watch TV or go to bed early while you do," he offered, thinking about how good sleep sounded at the moment. 

"Or you could take one with me," she suggested, and Sebastian suddenly found his second wind.

Ten minutes later, the tub was full of warm water (although not too warm as Daisy insisted it would only make his sunburn worse), Epson salts, and some floral-scented bubble bath. Daisy also lit a few candles and moved her Bluetooth speaker into the bathroom. She had some Goo Goo Dolls playlist playing in the background. Sebastian teased her for his choice in music despite his secret partiality for the band as well. He climbed in first, and she climbed in to sit across from him. His legs stretched to the end of the tub, and she rubbed them while he kept his arms sitting outside on the rim of the tub. 

"Today was hard for you, wasn't it?" she asked. He smiled, nodding. 

"It's fine. I'm fine with them one-on-one. It's when I get all three of them at once that I get a little overwhelmed. I'll be honest, the three of them together are a little intense."

"They can be. Essie and I often gang up on Teddy. I'm glad you got to meet them, outside ZuZu, that is. I might ask your mom about those cabins. It would be nice to have them visit more often. Or possibly have Greta retire here eventually. I think she would love the town," Daisy said. 

"Tell me about Greta. She's special to you, isn't she?" Sebastian asked, curious. Daisy smiled. 

"She's the reason Teddy and I aren't monsters like my mother. She practically raised us. She was the maid responsible for us and our needs, also as a nanny, but more than that. We had an actual nanny, but she was much more so under my mother's control and never showed us any warmth or compassion, unlike Greta. Greta taught me how to garden, made my favorite meals for me, how to dance, took care of me when I was sick, and encouraged my compassion or reading and learning how to do things hands-on. She taught me compassion, forgiveness, and love. When you have two successful parents that spend most of their time at the office, you lack the basic understanding that parents are supposed to teach their children. Not that my father didn't try, but his job kept him pretty busy in the early years. When I moved into the penthouse, she came with me. Teddy wanted her to come with him, but we agreed that he was welcome in the penthouse any time he missed her. I'm so grateful that he's taking care of her now. I felt terrible leaving her behind. She would be happy here. I couldn't afford to support her right now, but maybe in the future. I suppose in a way, she's my August," Daisy explained, and Sebastian nodded in understanding. Greta explained how Daisy turned out the way she did, and Sebastian was grateful for that. 

"She sounds special. Next time they visit, they should bring her down as well. If you're okay with that."

"She is, and I would love that."

"Does she call you Iz as well?" he asked.

"No, Daisy. Or her little flower when she's feeling affectionate," Daisy said with a smile.

"It suits you," he told her, smiling at the pet name. They sat in silence for a moment longer before a sudden realization came to him. "When's your birthday, Daisy?"

"The 20th of Fall," she said. Sebastian chuckled at this. "What," she frowned, not understanding.

"That's easy to remember. My mother's birthday is the 21st. Also, it makes you an older woman for me," he teased, winking at her. She chuckled at this.

"When is yours?" she asked. 

"The 10th of Winter."

"So older, yes, but not by much. You make me sound like I'm robbing the cradle," she joked. He laughed lightly at this before giving her a sensual look. He extended his arms towards her. 

"Come here," he said, and she obliged, planting her body between his legs and laying her head against his shoulder. He turned towards her, planting a small kiss on her lips. "I like you better like this."

"Naked and in the tub with you?" she teased. He chuckled.

"Well, yes, that too. What I mean is not rail thin. I prefer you as you are. Healthy, strong, and with a slighter softness to your body. I saw the pictures of you online. I saw how thin you used to be. I hope you never feel the need to be like that again," he said, running a hand down her body. 

"Like Essie?" she asked, and he nodded. "Teddy is trying to help her, but she may have to go back to rehab. It's part of the persona, you know? They want you to be that thin, so you fit into anything they ask you to wear. I know it wasn't healthy. My father and brother managed to fatten me up before moving here, but I've gained a bit more since. Mostly muscle."

"Fat isn't the right word. Healthy, Daisy, healthy. I only want to see you healthy," he insisted, resting his hand over her stomach. He wanted to move his hand lower, but he was too tired to initiate anything that night. Tomorrow he would. 

"Thank you," she whispered. 

"For what?"

"Loving me as I am," she said, turning her neck up towards his mouth, and he met her lips with his. Despite the burning pain in his arms and the exhaustion he felt, he brought one hand over her breasts, and the other moved between her legs. Moaning and arching her body in response, she turned over to face him and give him better access. As their hands roamed over each other's bodies, earning cries of pleasure and need from both of them, he led her out of the bathtub and into her bedroom. They stopped only briefly to dry themselves off before allowing their hands and mouths to explore each other. 

"Perfect," he said, kissing his way down her body. "Every fucking inch of you is perfect."

"So are you," she said, pulling him back up to meet her lips. 

•••••••••••••

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were curious, I loved having Daisy take care of Sebastian in this chapter. I feel like he's constantly taking care of her. A big part of their continuously developing relationship is learning to lean on each other when they need help. It's something I hope to focus on in this fic. They're both broken in a way, and I hope to write them as helping each other grow and know love. The song The Fragile feels a lot like both of them and how they see each other. 
> 
> Also if you haven't seen Castlevania, I highly recommend it! Such a good show!
> 
> Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you for reading! I'm so excited to see so many people already bookmarking and subscribing to this fic! I have so many great plans for it!


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